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  • © 2014

Exceptional Socialists

The Case of the French Socialist Party

Palgrave Macmillan

Part of the book series: French Politics, Society and Culture (FPSC)

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Table of contents (10 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-xii
  2. Introduction: Exceptional Socialists

    • David S. Bell, Byron Criddle
    Pages 1-10
  3. The Competitive Context

    • David S. Bell, Byron Criddle
    Pages 11-31
  4. Party Organisation

    • David S. Bell, Byron Criddle
    Pages 32-57
  5. Party Factional Identity and Personalities

    • David S. Bell, Byron Criddle
    Pages 58-82
  6. Presidentialism and Primaries

    • David S. Bell, Byron Criddle
    Pages 83-103
  7. Ideology and Policy

    • David S. Bell, Byron Criddle
    Pages 104-122
  8. The Challenge from the Minoritarian Left

    • David S. Bell, Byron Criddle
    Pages 123-147
  9. Socialist Politics Post-Mitterrand 1988–2002

    • David S. Bell, Byron Criddle
    Pages 148-176
  10. Socialist Party Development after 2002

    • David S. Bell, Byron Criddle
    Pages 177-203
  11. Conclusion

    • David S. Bell, Byron Criddle
    Pages 204-216
  12. Back Matter

    Pages 217-235

About this book

This engaging exploration of the French Socialist Party details the exceptional problems that the party has faced and the way it has dealt with them. The result is a comprehensive and compelling guide to the quiddities of political infighting, the structure of power and of the environment in which the party operates.

Reviews

'The French Socialists are the least known and least successful of Europe's major political parties. In none of its three periods of government since the famous victory of 1981 has it secured re-endorsement for a further term. Neither has it enjoyed the programmatic influence of the German Social Democratic Party post Godesberg nor the Third Way programme of the British Labour Party. As a party of expenditure its future looks distinctly fragile given its failure to provide a plausible alternative to the austerity policies of the right. The appointment of business friendly Prime Minister Manuel Valls is an important step but it is too early to say whether it will be successful. In this important book the UK's leading scholars of the French Socialists, David Bell and Byron Criddle, provide an indispensable guide to this most exceptional of parties.'

William E. Paterson OBE, Honorary Professor for German and European Politics, Aston University, UK

Authors and Affiliations

  • University of Leeds, UK

    David S. Bell

  • University of Aberdeen, UK

    Byron Criddle

About the authors

David S. Bell is Emeritus Professor of French Government and Politics at the School of Politics and International Studies, University of Leeds, UK. As well as French politics, his primary areas of research include European party politics and political leadership all areas in which he has published extensively.
 
Byron Criddle is Emeritus Reader in Politics at the University of Aberdeen, UK. He is the author of numerous works on French electoral politics and British parliamentarians.

Bibliographic Information

Buy it now

Buying options

eBook USD 39.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book USD 54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book USD 54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Other ways to access